Convertible chair.



Patented July 2, 19m.

E. L. THOMPSON. CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

. (Application fllnd 1:. as 1901. (No Model.) r

a Zwziwl. Tizor za as-owa I is NlTEED STATES PATENT O rricn.

ELWIN L. THOMPSON, OF BALDWINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONVERTIBLE CHAOIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,383, dated July 2,1901. Application filed March 28,1901. Serial No. 53,282. on model.)

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, ELWIN L. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Baldwinsville, county of Worcester,and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Convertible Chairs, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts. 7

This invention relates to chairs which can be changed from high torocking chairs, and vice versa; and it has more particularly for itsobject the production of novel locking means whereby the chair issecurely maintained elevated until it is desired to convert it into arocker.

Various novel features of my invention will be hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a convertible chair embodying one formof my invention, the chair being shown elevated. Fig. 2 is a similarview of the chair when lowered to form a rocker. Fig. 3 is a rearelevation of the chair when elevated. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionaldetail on the line a: :0, Fig. 3, looking to the right to show thelocking means. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the position of thelocking means and adjacent parts when the chair is lowered, and Fig. 6is a side elevation of a modification to be described.

The cross-legs a b, which serve as legs when the chair is elevated, arecurved or longitudinally convexed on their inner under edges, as at 0% bto form rockers when they are spread by the lowering of the chair,'asshown in Fig. 2, the legs being pivotally connected at 2 in pairs, andthe said pairs of legs will in przgctice be connected by transverserounds to The seat a of the chair 0 is provided with a rigid dependingbase (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 as depending) and crossed legs 0 crigidly secured together and to the seat, and the base so formed isfulcrumed on the upper ends of the cross-legs a by rigid metal straps4:, bolted or otherwise secured to the front ends of the legs 0. Theother pair of legs 0 are connected with the upper ends of the pair ofcross-legs b by links (1, pivoted at their upper ends at (Z' to thechair-base and at their lower ends at d to the upper ends of the crosslegs b.

When the chair is elevated,the links will be in substantially verticalposition,with the pivotal points d 01 practically one above the other,so that the weight upon the chair-seat is transmitted downwardly anddirectly to the cross-legs I) through the said links.

When the chair is lowered to form a rocker, the links swing rearwardlyon their pivots d, as shown in Fig. 5, as the upper ends of thecross-legs are spread or separated.

I have herein shown a stop, made as a pin or projection 3, on each ofthe legs I) to engage the rear edge of the adjacent link when the chairis elevated to thus limit the closing movement of the cross-legs, andpreferably each of the links will be notched, as at ri to receive itscooperating stop.

In order to maintain the links and stops in the relative position shownin Fig. 4that is, when the stop is elevated--I have provided a simpleand very effective locking device consisting, substantially, of aHshaped bar, the sides e, which form latches, being fulcrumed at e on aforwardly-extended ear d of each link, the latches projecting rearwardlybeyond the links and having notches e in their lower edges to straddlethe stops 3 when in looking position, the connecting-piece e between thelatches constituting a handpiece to manually release the locking device.

Each link is herein shown as having a second ear 61 to which is securedone end of a spring 3, the other end thereof being attached to theextension 6 of each latch projected f0rward beyond its fulcrum e thesprings nor mally tending to throw the latches downward into engagementwith the stops.

If the chair is elevated and it isdesired to lower it, and therebyconvert it into a rocker, the operator lifts the connectingpiece ethereby rocking the latches on their fulcra e and releasing the stops 3from the notches e, whereupon the weight of the chair-seat operates tospread the cross-legs a b, the links swinging as described, and thechairassumes the position shown in Fig. 2, at which time the cross-legsct b have their curvededges in parallelism and rest upon the floor toform rockers, while the chair-base c o is firmly supported above them.

To change the chair over from the rocker to elevated position, thechair-body is grasped and lifted, and as soon as the links assume asubstantially vertical position the springs s cause the latches to snapinto operative engagement with the stops, as shown in Fig. 3.

The locking mechanism thus automatically operates to set itself and lockthe chair in elevated position.

In Fig. 6 the cross-legs and the locking mechanism are substantially ashereinbefore described and shown; but the chair-base comprisesrigidly-attached depending front and; back legs 0 0 the former pairhaving the straps l attached thereto, while the upper ends of the links01 are pivotally connected with the back leg 0 In either case, however,

the depending base is rigidly secured to the chair-seat and forms a firmand secure sup-Q port therefor either in elevated position or} whenlowered to form a rocker.

Each of the latches e is provided with a: transverse slot 6 into whichprojects a pinv or projection d on the adjacent link to limit thepivotal movement of the latch.

In another application, Serial No. 53,287, filed by me concurrentlyherewith, I have broadly claimed in a convertible chair the seat havinga rigid base and with cross-legs, l

the base being fulorumed on the upper ends claimed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters 3 Patent, is

rockers when the chair is lowered, and trans a rigid base fulcrumed onthe upper ends of one pair of cross-legs, links pivoted to the base andto the upper ends of the other pair of legs, stops on the latter toengage the links when the chair is elevated, and locking means tonormally maintain such engagement.

2. In a convertible chair, pivoted cross-legs a rigid base fulcrumed onthe upper ends of I one pair of cross-legs, links pivoted to the. baseand to the upper ends of the other pairl of legs, stops on the latter toengage the links when the chair is elevated, and means mounted on thelinks to engage the stops when the chair is elevated and prevent pivotedmovement of the links.

Verse connections between opposite pairs of was said legs, combined witha chair-seat having a rigid base fulcrumed on the upper ends of one pairof cross-legs, depending links pivoted to the base and at their lowerends pivoted to the upper ends of the other pair of crosslegs, stops onthe latter to engage the links when in substantially vertical position,the chair being elevated, and means to lock the links in such position.

4. In a convertible chair, pivoted cross-legs curved on their inner,under sides to form rockers when the chair is lowered, and transverseconnections between opposite pairs of said legs, combined with achair-seat having a rigid base fulcrumed on the upper ends of one pairof cross-legs, links pivoted to the base and to the upper ends of theother pair of legs, stops on the latter to engage the links when thechair is elevated, and connected notched latches fulcrumed on the linksand adapted to cooperate with the stops when the chair is elevated, theconnection between the latches constituting a handpiece.

5. In a convertible chair, pivoted cross-legs curved on their inner,under sides to form rockers when the chair is lowered, and transverseconnections between opposite pairs of said legs, combined with achair-seat having a rigid base fulcrumed on the upper ends of one pairof cross-legs, links pivoted to the base and to the upper ends of theother pair of legs, stops on the latter to engage the links when thechair is elevated, connected latches fulcrumed on the links and adaptedto cooper ate with the stops when the chair iselevated, and means tolimit pivotal movement of the latches.

6. In aconvertible chair, pivoted cross-legs curved on their inner,under sides to form 1. In a convertible chair, pivotedcross-legs Icurved on their inner, under sides to formf rockers when the chair islowered, and transverse connections between opposite pairs of said legs,combined with a chair-seat having verse connections between oppositepairs of said legs, combined with a chair-seat having a rigid basefulcrumed on the upper endsof one pair of cross-legs, links pivoted tothebaseand to the upper ends of the other pair of legs, stops on thelatter to engage the links when the chair is elevated, connected latchesful crumed on the links and adapted to cooperate with the stops when thechair is elevated, and means to automatically set the latches when thechair is changed from loweredto elevated position.

7. In a convertible chair, pi voted cross-legs curved on their inner,under sides to form rockers when the chair is lowered, and trans verseconnections between opposite pairs of said legs, combined with achair-seat having a rigid base fulcruined on the upper ends of one pairof cross-legs, links pivotedto the base and to the upper ends of theother pair of legs, stops on the latter to engage the links when thechair is elevated, connected latches fulcrumed on the links and adaptedto cooper- 3. In a convertible chair, pivoted cross-legs curved on theirinner, under sides to formf rockers when the chair is lowered, andtransate with the stops when the chair is elevated, means to limitpivotal movement of the latches, and means to set the latches when thechair is elevated from lowered position.

erases I g 8. In a convertible chair, pivoted cross-legs notches in itssides to receive the stops and curved on their inner, under sides toform thereby lock the parts from relative moverockers when the chair islowered, and transment when the chair is elevated. verse connectionsbetween opposite pairs of In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 5said legs, combined with a chair-seat having name to this specificationin the presence of a rigid base fnlcrumed on the upper ends of twosubscribing witnesses. one pair of oross-legs,1inks ivoted to the base Ti and to the upper ends of the other pair of legs, ELVVIN THOMPSON stopson the latter to engage the links when Witnesses: 1c the chair iselevated, and an n-shaped bar W. P. ABBOTT,

fnlcrnmed at its ends on the links and having 1 C. G. SPEARE.

